Of the Israelites from
Egypt. the common chronology places the date of this event at B.C. 1491, deriving it in this way:--In (1 Kings 6:1) it is stated that the building of the
temple, in the forth year of
Solomon, was in the 480th year after the exodus. The fourth year of
Solomon was bout B.C. 1012. Add the 480 years (leaving off one years because neither the fourth nor the 480th was a full year), and we have B.C. 1491 as the date of the exodus. This is probably very nearly correct; but many Egyptologists place it at 215 years later,--about B.C. 1300. Which date is right depends chiefly on the interpretation of the Scripture period of 430 years, as denoting the duration of the bondage of the Israelites. The period of bondage given in (Genesis 15:13,14; Exodus 12:40,41) and Gala 3:17 As 430 years has been interpreted to cover different periods. The common chronology makes it extend from the call of
Abraham to the exodus, one-half of it, or 215 years, being spend in
Egypt. Others make it to cover only the period
of bondage spend in Egypt.
St. Paul says in (Galatians 3:17) that from the covenant with (or call of)
Abraham the giving of the law (less than a year after the exodus) was 430 years. But in (Genesis 15:13,14) it is said that they should be strangers in a strange land, and be afflicted 400 years, and nearly the same is said in (Exodus 12:40) But, in very truth, the children of Israel were strangers in a strange land from the time that
Abraham left his home for the promised land, and during that whole period of 430 years to the exodus they were nowhere rulers in the land, and you can find
more about that here on
st-takla.org on other commentaries and
dictionary entries. So in (Exodus 12:40) it is said that the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in
Egypt was 430 years. But it does not say that the sojourning was all in
Egypt, but this people who lived in
Egypt had been sojourners for 430 years.

(a) This is the simplest way of making the various statements harmonize.

(b) The chief difficulty is the great increase of the children of Israel from 70 to 2,000,000 in so short a period as 215 years, while it is very easy in 430 years. But under the circumstances it is perfectly possible in the shorter period. See on ver. 7

(C) If we make the 430 years to include only the bondage in
Egypt, we must place the whole chronology of
Abraham and the immigration of
Jacob into
Egypt some 200 years earlier, or else the exodus 200 years later, or B.C. 1300. in either case special difficulty is brought into the reckoning.

(d) Therefore, on the whole, it is well to retain the common chronology, though the later dates may yet prove to be correct. The history of the exodus itself commences with the close of that of
the ten plagues. [THE
Ten Commandments] In the night in which, at midnight, the firstborn were slain, (Exodus 12:29) Pharaoh urged the departure of the Israelites. vs. (Exodus 12:31,32) They at once set forth from Rameses, vs. (Exodus 12:37,39) apparently during the night v. (Exodus 12:42) but towards morning on the 15th day of the first month. (Numbers 33:3) They made three journeys, and encamped by the
Red Sea. Here Pharaoh overtook them, and the great miracle occurred by which they were saved, while the pursuer and his
army were destroyed. [Passage OF]